Tuning slide for musical instruments



F. HOLTON TUNING SLIDE FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS Dec. 13, 1927.

Patented Dec. 13, 1927.

UNITED STATES sarsnrorrics. l

FRANK HOLTON, F ELKHORN, W'ESCNSIN.

TUNING SLIDE FOR MUSCAL NSTRMENTS.

Application led May ,5,

This invention relates to Wind instruments in which the tone is controlled by the length of an air column and has tor its object the provision ot means for quickly adjusting the column length to properly tune the instrument.

The invention is shown as applied to a trombone, but it will be readily apparent that it may be applied to various instruments having pipes or tubes for controlling' the length of a vibrating` air column.

The invention is exemplified in the combination and arrangement of parts as shown in the accompanying` dratvinp,` and described in the following` specitication,'and it is more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing- Fig. 1 is an elevation of a trombone having one embodiment of the present invention applied thereto; and

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary elevation of the tuning slide shovvn on a larger scale than that of Fig. 1.

In the drawing, the numeral 1() designates .the bell of a trombone having a slide 11 movable in and out on the tubes 13 and 14 in the usual manner. The slide 11 is a hollow tube bent back upon itself, the back- Wardly extending, ends being slidable on tubes 13 and 111 which project forwardly from the tube 12 and the portion 15, respectively, the portion 15 having a mouthpiece 16 thereon.

The rearwardly extending projecting ends of the slide 11 are provided vwith tuning sleeves 17 and 18 which are mounted to slide on the ends of the tubes 11 so as to change the eiigective length of the slide. The sleeve 17 has a toothed rack 19 secured. thereto arranged to be engaged by the nose 2O ot' a det-ent arm 21. The arm 21 is pivoted at 22 to a cross-bar which connects the ends ot the slide 11. A nger piece 24 extends downwardly from the arm 21 and is provided With a spring 25 Which resiliently holds the nose 20 in engagement with the rack teeth 19. A skeleton frame 26 encloses the arm 21 and provides a slide 27 for guid ing the arm 21 in its movement along the rack 19.

`When it is desired to change the pitch of the instrument it is only necessary for the operator to press the linger piece 24C and move the slide 11 in the sleeves 17 and 18. This increases and ydecreases the effective 1.92%. Serial .'\l'0. 710,972.

length of the slide 11 so that the correct tone Will besecured at the proper position of the slide on the tubes 13 and 141-. lt is frequently desirable to correct the tuning of the trombone Without loss of time incidentto operation ot screws and nuts Yfor changing the relative position ot parts and the present invenn tion provides means by which the tuning is accomplished substantially instantaneously. lt. for instance, the instrument is cold When the musician begins to play and becomes warm during the performance the parts Will expand and the tone will consequently be changed. This may be corrected instantly by merely pressing;- the inger piece 24 and moving the parts 17-and 18 relative to the slide 11. The correction may be made Without interruptinp,` the performance. A stop 28 is provided at the end of the rack 19 to prevent the tuning slide from being entirely Withdrawn 'from the trombone slide 11. It Will be apparent that the holding member 2O with its rack and associated parts can be duplicated on the other arm of the slide if found desirable. ln this case the finger pieces 24 Will overlap so that both catches may be released by pressing a single linger piece.

l'. claim I 1. A Wind musical instrument having a (ifi sliding tone passage, a sliding extension for said passage, and means for changingl the adjustment oit said extension While playing said instrument.

2. A Wind musical instrument having a sliding tone passage. a sliding extension `for said passage, and means for changing the adjustment of said extension When engaging the tone passage to slide the same.

3. A Wind musical instrument having a slidingv tone passage, a sliding extension for said passage, and means 'for sliding the tone passage and simultaneously changing the. adjustment of said extension.

ll. A Wind musical instrument having a slidingu tone passage, a sliding extension for said passage, and means for sliding the tone passage and simultaneously changing the adjustment of said extension comprising a cross-bar between tvvo parallel lengths of said extension Jfor the tone passage, a detent mounted on said cross-bar, and a plurality of spaced stops on the tone passage vfor engaging' said detent.

5. A Wind musical instrument having a sliding tone passage, a sliding extension for lll() said passage, and means for sliding the tone passage and sin'iultnneously changing the adjustment of said extension Comprising a cross-bar between two parallel lengths olf said extension l'oi' the tone passage, a detent on said el'oss-bai', a plurality of spaced stops en the tone passage arranged to he engaged by said detent, and a .fingenpieee 'l'oi' moving' said detent out of engagement with said stops to release said extension 'foi' slidinz` nioveineni, faid linger-piece heini;` positioned Whei'ehjv the saine may he actnated b v the player while his hand is in a position to slide the tone passage when plaving' the instrument.

(i. A, `Wind n'nisii'ral instrument having a sliding; tone passage, a sliding' extension for said passage, and means fol' slidingl the tone passage and simultaneously Changing the adjustment of eaid extension comprising a i'ael seein'ed 'to said tone passage, a hell crank lever` pivol'ed lo the extension loi said tone passage. said hell crank lever havingr a nose-piece foi' ei'ip'aging said i'ael, a spring foi' holding said nose-piece in Contact with said Jack, and a limit stop :'r'or engaging said nose-piece to prevent separation of the vxtensiogi .from the tone passage, Said hell Crank leve!I being' `positioned whereby the saine inaj; he act :aied h'v the 1')la \'eil While his hand is in a position to slide the tone passapje While playing' the insti'nn'lent.

In testimony vfliei'eo'l l have signed in v naine to this specification on this 2d day of May, A. l). 1924.

FRANK HOLTON. 

